Improving Reading Skills for High School Students

Not all high school students have good reading skills. However, with constant practice, a student can improve his or her reading comprehension and make themselves a better reader.

A reading schedule is needed so that the student can organize his or her activities and have plenty of time for reading. It would be a good idea to read when it is quiet and there is not too much distraction around. However, having the reading schedule set late at night is not recommended because the student may already be too drowsy and sleepy to read.

The student should have access to different kinds of reading materials. They must not be limited to the reading materials assigned to them in school. Students should read books, magazines and articles that match their interests, hobbies and skills.

Before reading a material, students should have the habit of scanning it first. By scanning the reading material, they will have a better idea about what this book, article or writing is all about. Students should learn to pay attention to the introduction, headings, pictures, charts and conclusion of a reading material.

Students who want to improve on their reading skill must also learn to write down notes while they are reading. The notes should never be copied from the book but it has to be written in their own words. Words that are hard to understand should be highlighted and underlined.

The notes that were written should be reviewed by the students. Some textbooks have study questions located at the end of each chapters which the students can try to answer. The students can also try to summarize each chapters or sections of the book so that they will know if they really understand the book or the reading material.